Starting Pay?

[bste_lax]

I would also point out that location does play some factor. The amount of money I was offered for my current job in LA was a lot more than some other jobs I was looking at in Cedar Rapids/Des Moines.

Seriously! 55 g's doesn't sound as nice when you're dropping $1250/mo. on rent and $7 a beer!

I was happy two weekends ago when I was even in Chicago, I paid like 3-4 bucks for a mixed drink.

That's why my reasoning for my hangover on Sunday. To take a page out of any girl's book, "but it was on sale".

/resume serious thread about pay out of college.

[Kyle Berggren]

My main problem right now is deciding on if I want to go even higher up the management chain at Best Buy and stay in retail, or If I want to go with UPS as a Corporate Account Executive or some other places I've applied to. I'm also putting my resume out to whoever will look at it just so I have more options. It's just a tough time to make decisions this big.

I'd recommend against Best Buy unless that's truly where your heart is. It's not that it's a terrible company, they're actually run quite well, but retail hours can be hell on relationships & families. It looks as though you are from the Best Buy motherland, so working into corporate isn't unreasonable. There is however a giant pool of competitive candidates fighting for those jobs. The competition, & the fact that Best Buy keeps putting competitors our of business means lower pay and a struggle to move up. Maybe get in on the MHT side of it & you'll have a better shot at growth in the long run. But, you'll never play lacrosse again working weekends!

I worked for a company purchased by Best Buy while I was in school, & well, lets just say my medical coverage got worse. I'm sure you can find better benefits somewhere else, I don't know about UPS.

Also, don't be afraid to take new jobs. Quite a while ago I was given the advice to constantly move to different companies. Any upward movement is a good one. It's good for resumes lacking experience, it's great for pay as you're moving up, & it keeps you on the right track. The friend that gave me this advice was in his early 20's at the time, & now he works for a 25+ time retailer of the year as an Audio Buyer. He's 28 now & has settled in. We talked about it the other day & he says he didn't expect to settle down with a company until he was about 35, but things just fell into place.

I hope that helps & I wish you the best of luck. I'm not sure what your major was, I might have missed it, but pay varies geographically as well. Don't be afraid to explore some other cities.

[agentogden]

Work? That is so 80's man. No one does that anymore. It's for suckers.

And get out of retail fast. There is no chain -- the chain of ever more important titles at the same pay.

out.
AO

[GrayBear]

Some perspective from an old fart:

When I got out of college in 1975 I had a crisp new architecture degree and dim prospects. The shining stars in my fraternity at Illinois were bragging about jobs in the $10K - $12K range (business and engineering!!). As for me, I snagged a position in downtown Chicago for the princely sum of $8,400. per year (yeah--that's YEAR). I bounced around a few architectural firms for awhile and topped out in that profession at about $18K. Tops. But I had a ball.

Somebody else offered the off-topic observation that you should go with your heart. Do what you love. PLEASE--if you do nothing else, follow this profound advice while you can. It is wisdom.

You will, in life, basically spend, or otherwise commit, what you make (allowing for set-aside savings plans, FLEX spending, 401(k), etc.). Believe this. You will. The art lies in crafting your personal expectations in terms of what sustains you, and not to conform to a scale of projected income progress shaped by what others think you should be doing. Do what enriches your soul, and (a) the money will follow you, or (b) you will find that it doesn't matter. The latter is actually the truth.

You already know (or your spirit does--it tells you, subliminally, every day) what this is. Once you make the life-altering decisions we're customarily called upon to make, a lot of this choice is removed and your options become irreversibly limited. Who you marry. What material things you (or she) feel(s) are necessary. What your parents expect. What her parents expect. What you think your contemporaries expect.

Screw that. While there's still time.

I know this has nothing to do with your question, and yet it has everything to do with it. I'm just suggesting that you discard salary as a measuring stick now, when it apparently isn't necessary. One day it may be necessary, and it will be the only relevant measure, if you're not careful. Then it will be too late. Be foolish now, while you have the chance. Run.

One thing I'm trying to tell my college-shopping son (who won't listen, of course, because he's a son and I'm his dad) is that the most important thing he'll have upon graduation from college is freedom of choice, so he shouldn't indenture himself with loans and obligations and pressures and ongoing performance threshholds just to be able to say he holds a degree from a prestigious private college. The power that money represents, and enables, in the end, is itself freedom of choice. Money requires allegiance and tribute and fealty, though, so the cost of it has to be figured in. When you have the luxury of a fresh start without the baggage, that freedom is, well, free. Take it. It's the last free thing you'll see.

I had the most fun I ever had (working that is) in architecture. Later, I got "wise", acquired a law license and got knee-deep in the muck of a prestigious firm, higher salary, more pressure, and inflated expectations of others. It nearly killed me. Awhile ago (quite awhile) I decided to flee from that and to pursue a path with more heart. I feel better now. I don't make much money, but all the expectations of those around me have been adjusted, of necessity, to a comfortable level. I shitcanned the big-firm law career, have recurring monthly money concerns that will probably never end, and feel great.

Sorry for the ramble. I'm old, and I'm going to lie down now.

Peace.

[dubbs11]

As a kid who will graduate in two weeks, and is trying to pick and choose amongst what to do. I would just like to say that this is the greatest thread ever, and would encourage anyone who has stories or advice from the "real world" to please add to it.

[Hugh Nunn]

Do what Graybear said. Tattoo it on your hands or something, but learn the concept that following your joy is the greatest career move you will ever make.

And almost as important is this. If you can't find a team to coach or play for, be a ref...we need em!

[Beta]

One HUGE thing to take into account is how many hours your job/commute will take.

I worked internships in college...even when it was 40+ hrs a week, it doesn't compare to the daily grind of 45-50 hours...everyday...forever. Pick and choose your hobbies/spending-habits wisely with your new-found job and money.

And don't forget, when it comes to budgeting your annual pay...go ahead and take out 30-35% for taxes

[onpoint]

Graybear said it perfectly. While being 26 might not exactly classify me as wise, I can testify that doing what I wanted rather than what I needed to do has brought me more satisfaction than $35k a year in an office and a jar full of peanut M&Ms (they have those in offices) ever could have.

[cjwilhelmi]

I usually get the opportunity to go down to Harding every semester and talk to current Psych majors about the real world and what I have learned in it. Here is pretty much the Cliff Note version of my hour long presentation:

- Do something that you love, and be flexible that it might change. My dad worked for several years on fiberoptics for the government right out of college before he started working for Frito Lay for the next 25 years. Trust me, your glad he did since I know that all of you have eaten things that he created. He loved the work, working with people and trying out new things. Now he is retired and helping start an innovation think tank out of NY. Dont think that you might know what you love now, because that love may change due to circumstances in your life. However, always follow your heart and do things that will make you a better individual - whether that might be as a father/mother, husband/wife or just as a human being.

- Read the fine print. I have personally been screwed by not reading the fine print of contracts. Sure the money looked great and the job seemed to hold promise, but read the fine print and get everything written in the contract. I accepted a job right out of college as a head lacrosse coach at a private school in Atlanta, GA. The job seemed great - great pay and even better benefits. I have the opportunity to make a pretty decent living and they were going to give me time off of work in order to attend graduate school. Oh yea, they were going to pay for my doctorate! I dont know how much luckier I could have been. However, I didn't get everything in the contract and took some individuals at their word. To make a long story shorter, they were still going to pay for my PhD but it was going to be on their terms which meant taking night classes at a less than reputable institution that didn't have the program that I wanted while another school down the road did. Also they wanted to dictate my behavior, places I could go and people that I could hang out with. Bottom line - find out everything about the job and ask the tough questions, then get everything (no matter how small) put into your contract.

- Hold on to your major professor. My major professor has become a very close friend to me over the last two years. We dont talk but two or three times a month but he has been there for me for the last 5 years and has continued to show his support. There are those that we have all met while in undergraduate or graduate school. Hold on to those since they will be your references and lifelines throughout your early years in the real world.

- Keep your parents close to you. I know, most of you are thinking that you are smarter than your parents. I did as well. The older I have gotten the more that I have realized how smart my dad really is and have taken his advice to heart. Its almost become more of a friendship than a father/son relationship. I wish the same for each and every one of you.

- Don't show all your cards before the final round of betting. No matter how nice you are to everyone around you there will be someone there to try and take credit for your ideas. It is a dog eat dog world out there and thats the truth. Hide and protect your ideas. Make sure that people know that you are the one to be given credit for it. I know, I am like some out there that I would rather hide in the back and just know that it was my idea. But you will not advance yourself career wise if you don't start taking some glory for what you did. I'm not saying to become a snob but I am saying that you should make sure that you get some of the credit.

- Find out what jobs are paying. You might have to take a job to make ends meet while you wait for something else. I recently met a waitress at a local restaraunt that has a doctorate degree. She was waiting tables since it cost several thousand for her to sit for her board exams and become a liscenced worker. I was making between 30-40K working for the private school. I recently moved and started bartending where I was making 10K more than I was at a school where average tuition is the same as most colleges. Never lose sight of your dreams but you may have to put them on the back burner for a little while.

- If you are planning on going to graduate school then just go straight there. I took a year off between undergrad and graduate and I regret it every day. While I grew up a lot while I was in Atlanta, I essentially wasted a year of my life. It is harder to get back into graduate school after you have been out of school for a while, so why wait - just go do it.

- Words from my father, the smartest man in the world (and I truly believe that): It never hurts to ask: what is the worst they are going to say; no? Shoot for the heavens, even if you fail you land in the stars and boy what a view. Always be yourself, people will like you more. If you are in a tough situation, think of the absolute worst thing that could happen and whatever comes out of it has to be better than that.

[OAKS]

I just want to say one word to you - just one word.
Are you listening?

Plastics.

There's a great future in plastics.
Think about it.
Will you think about it?

[laxative]

I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.

[ZagGrad]

I just want to say one word to you - just one word.
Are you listening?

Plastics.

There's a great future in plastics.
Think about it.
Will you think about it?

Replace plastics with composites...

My bit of advice is to never settle until you find something you enjoy doing. After managing Abercrombie (with a BS in Mechanical Engineering), I started working for a plumbing contractor who I didn't get along with. I was working horrendous hours as a "project manager" and hating every minute of it. I eventually got "laid off" and mowed lawns for a summer. While applying for a position as a design engineer for a small HVAC firm, I was told that my experience working for the plumbing contractor would help in acquiring the job--my suffering had paid off. After a year of HVAC, I jumped ship and got on with a Fortune 500 aerospace corporation. That all happened in the span of four years. Not trying to toot my horn for those who think I am, but my point is to never settle and always seek more opportunities UNTIL you find something you truly enjoy doing.

Also, it may have already been said, but the people you work with go a long way in making your job enjoyable--I really can't stress that enough.

[mholtz]

Please don't take this the wrong way... but someone flipping burgers, tending bar, and delivering pizzas doesn't equate to real (white collar) work experience.

This coming from someone who did blue collar work to pay for most his undergraduate collegiate expenses.

80% of the skills I use day to day in my "real job" (computer systems administrator) I learned after college. Of the 20% I learned during college, 90% of it I learned at the job I worked in college as a junior sysadmin/programmer.

I guess I was a lucky one because I had a "psuedo real" job during college.

[laxative]

I just want to say one word to you - just one word.
Are you listening?

Plastics.

There's a great future in plastics.
Think about it.
Will you think about it?

Exactly how do you mean?

[Zeuslax]

I took approximately a $20K pay cut with the job I accepted out of college. My situation is a little different with a specialized degree and the reduction is above the avg starting salaries for most. My friends and classmates still thought I was a little crazy. It was my second time around (pre med = not so much) in college and I was concerned with different things. I wanted quality of life, flexibility (insert lacrosse), benefits, cutting edge environment, and a job with a true purpose (energy), educational opportunities, and professional freedom.

It's not often in a job where your boss asks what do you want to work on. Or you can say I'm not coming in tomorrow, I'm working from home. These items more than make up for any reduction in salary. My experience is also unparalleled. In 3 years my salary would more than surpass any of my fellow graduates if I make a jump. This is due to the experience gained.


I would place quality of people at the work place high on the list of things to examine. Have interviews with everyone you would work with.